And in the rest of the world: Commencement speeches

IT’S GRADUATION season and before students throw their mortar boards in the air, the ceremony isn’t complete without an inspiring commencement speech.

In Singapore, Law Minister K. Shanmugam spoke at SMU’s commencement ceremony for its batch of law graduates. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg finally graduated from Harvard and gave the commencement speech this year. Some took to using this platform for advocacy, calling for equal opportunities and rights for marginalised groups.

1. Singapore: Law Minister K. Shanmugam speaks at SMU Law’s commencement ceremony for the first time

Image by Flickr user smuconlaw. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Law graduates of the Singapore Management University (SMU) had the privilege of having Law Minister K. Shanmugam as the guest-of-honour at their commencement ceremony on July 11. This is the first time that SMU’s commencement ceremony was held on its own campus, at the newly built School of Law building, in its 17-year history. The Class of 2017, comprising of 2759 graduates, is SMU’s largest batch since the university was first established in 2000.

In his commencement speech, Mr Shanmugam touched on the importance of being ready to adapt to changes. He emphasised that law is not a single entity and urged graduates to not only be well-versed in Singapore’s legal system, but also the laws and legal systems of countries in the region. “Law doesn’t stand alone. It’s an ancillary service. You only get legal work if the underlying economy is doing well,” he said.

2. Canaan, New Hampshire: Chief Justice John Roberts wishes graduates bad luck

Image from Cardigan Mountain School’s Facebook page.

A speech at Cardigan Mountain School’s graduation ceremony for boys grade six through nine held on June 3 drew attention for its stark unconventionality. It was delivered by Supreme Court Chief Justice of the United States (US) John Roberts and his own son was a part of the ninth-grade graduation ceremony.

While most commencement speakers are expected to extend good wishes and optimism to students, Mr Roberts opted for a different approach. In his speech, he said that he hoped that they would fail so that they will ultimately “see the message in your [their] misfortunes”. He acknowledged that, in most commencement speeches, speakers often repeat the same ideas and advice.

Mr Roberts then ended off his speech with lyrics from Bob Dylan’s song, Forever Young, and a final piece of advice, which was to “write a note to someone” every week. He said that it will mean a “great deal to people”, particularly to the teachers at Cardigan Mountain School.

3. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Mark Zuckerberg finally graduates

Image by Flickr user Alessio Jacona. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Facebook chief executive officer (CEO) Mark Zuckerberg finally graduated on May 25 after dropping out of Harvard University 12 years ago to build Facebook. At 33, he received the honorary doctorate from Harvard and also had the honour of giving the commencement speech.

In promoting Facebook’s mission for social connection, Mr Zuckerberg also emphasised the “sense of purpose” that everyone should have. To do so, he urged for the expansion of definitions of equality and how society should measure progress by meaningful roles instead of using mere economic metrics as a form of measurement. This sense of purpose, he said, was crucial in building Facebook in the early days as his decision not to sell the company frustrated many and isolated him even though he “believed in what we [they] were doing”.

In a cheeky Facebook post, Mr Zuckerberg uploaded a photo with his parents on the day of his graduation and captioned it: “Mom, I always told you I’d come back and get my degree.”

4. Quezon City, Philippines: Valedictorian calls for equal opportunities

Image by Wikimedia commons user Presidential Communications Operations Office.

22 year-old Mr Arman Ali Ghodsinia called for equal opportunities for all Filipinos during his valedictory address at the University of Philippines (UP). He also appealed for peace and empathy amid the conflict in Marawi, where his mother was born and raised.

The molecular biology and biotechnology graduate was chosen from a group of students who received the highest honours. In his speech, Mr Ghodsinia raised the issue that many provinces in Mindanao are underdeveloped in spite of being rich in natural resources. “It pains me so much to know that many of the poorest provinces in the country are in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” he said.

Mr Ghodsinia called for a “truly inclusive education” that would build “social cohesion” among Filipinos across different ethnic groups and religions.

5. Harlem, New York City: Muslim American activist speaks about empowerment in spite of criticism

Image by Flickr user Festival of Faiths. CC BY 2.0.

Weeks after facing death threats and harsh criticism, Muslim American activist Linda Sarsour delivered a powerful message of empowerment at the City University of New York School of Public Health (Jun 2). Ms Sarsour, who was also one of the lead organisers of this year’s Women’s March, spoke about standing up to injustice.

She pushed for an intersectional vision of social justice, particularly for extremely vulnerable and marginalised groups such as the LGBTQ+ community. The defining message that she brought across to graduates was ultimately the “decision never to be bystanders” and urged that “we cannot be silent” in the face of “poverty, lack of jobs and healthcare, sexism, violence, discrimination, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and homophobia.” This is especially apt in the current political climate.

Her speech, however, drew criticism from right-wing speakers, who accused her of holding anti-Semitic views and even prompted calls for her speech to be cancelled but to no avail.

Featured image from Google user Pexels. CC0

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